The draft muinutes of a meeting held on 1 December can be downloaded as a pdf or read below.

MN_2021 December DPC Approved Minutes

Approved Minutes of a Public Virtual Meeting of Dittisham Parish Council held on
Wednesday 1 December 2021 at 7:00p.m.

Present: Councillors Anderson (Vice-Chair, meeting Chair), Bond, Green, Lloyd, Neale, Nightingale, Quinn, and Unitt were present, as were Devon County Councillor Hawkins and South Hams District Councillor McKay, and A. Thom (Clerk).

1.     COVID-19 Precautions

Taking into account the COVID risks (local delta & unknown omicron), councillors’ views, and the need to hold a face to face meeting a decision was made for the Parish Council to only meet via Zoom. This is therefore not a formal Parish Council meeting. It instructed the Clerk on operational and business continuity decisions as permitted by delegated authority. Policy decisions have been deferred.

2.     Apologies

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Tucker.

3.     Declaration of interests

None declared.

4.     Approval of the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 November 2021

Deferred due to the next official meeting of Dittisham Parish Council.

5.     Public Issues

  • Meeting with a resident to discuss their correspondence about the amount of Building Work in the Village

Deferred to the next official meeting of Dittisham Parish Council.

The Clerk corrected their notes in the Report – Village-Design-Guides can be adopted by the Planning Authority as Supplementary Planning Documents.

6.     Community Reports

  • South Hams District Council Councillor

Cllr McKay said there is quite a lot pressure to introduce community composting.

SHDC is looking at changing the funding process for biodiversity projects to make funding more accessible for larger organisations, which currently need to go to each SHDC councillor. Cllr McKay has been lobbying on behalf of Sustainable South Hams.

South Hams District Council has declared a housing crisis and a lot of good work has been done since. Cllr McKay has concerns about a proposal affecting Baltic Wharf in Totnes.

Cllr McKay is concerned that the enforcement cases list is long and status doesn’t seem to change.

Cllr Lloyd said that the lack of affordable housing has a local effect making staff recruitment difficult.

  • Devon County Council Councillor

The Health and Well Being Centre is being built on schedule. Cllr Hawkins encourages people to fill in the NHS survey about what you would you like built at the old Hospital site.

A meeting this afternoon confirmed free Dartmouth Leisure Centre youth nights for people aged 10-17 years from 14 January 6pm-9pm. Once month at first, maybe more later. All areas will be open. There will be roller blading on the first night, archery in February, and a pool disco in March. Dartmouth Youth Group would welcome volunteers.

The Food Bank has moved to Townstal Community Hall on Friday mornings. There is easy parking, lunch, tea, coffee and cakes etc.

The Devon County Council budget process is very hard this year. Its permitted increase is 2%, plus a 1% increase for adult social care and children’s services.

An Ashprington Councillor is setting up a one-of green waste collection project in the next few months. If anyone wants a collection he can help. Dartmouth Green Partnership is establishing a new community composting facility at Jaw Bones. It is hoped it will take green waste free of charge from Dittisham, Blackawton etc

7.     SHDC Planning Decisions

7.1.  3442/21/HHO & 3443/21/LBC Meadow View The Level Dittisham TQ6 0ES. Householder & Listed building consent for replacement rear conservatory extension. Conditional Approval.

7.2.  4003/20/ARC 2 Watermans Cottage Manor Street Dittisham TQ6 0EX. Discharge of condition Approved.

7.3.  3493/21/LBC Dartside Manor Street Dittisham TQ6 0EX. Listed Building Consent for the removal of existing roof structure and the installation of a new roof structure. Conditional Approval.

7.4.  3495/21/HHO Gurrow Point Riverside Road Dittisham TQ6 0JH. Householder application for proposed external material changes to East elevation with smaller attic window. Conditional Approval.

8.     New planning applications

8.1.  2974/21/HHO Merrion Riverside Road Dittisham TQ6 0HS. Householder application for alterations and two small extensions.
Support (resolution proposed Cllr Bond, seconded Cllr Lloyd, unanimous).

8.2.  4146/21/CLP Vipers Quay Dittisham TQ6 0HE. Certificate of lawfulness for proposed repair work to jetty.
The decision will be made by SHDC on the basis of relevant evidence. No comment sent by DPC.

9.     Consultations

  • Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service, Draft Community Risk Management Plan, 14/1/22

Cllr Unitt asked how the Service would access via narrow roads in the Village.

The Clerk will ask for confirmation that the Service has a current assessment of how it will access residences in Dittisham.

This will be an item on the next Agenda.

  • SHDC, Draft proposed SHDC Grounds Maintenance layer (to enhance biodiversity on Council green spaces).

No response to SHDC by DPC. Councillors commented that DPC is making a lot of the changes discussed in the proposal and as SHDC is its Maintenance Contractor it can engage directly with SHDC.

10.  Reports from Councillors’ Working Groups & External Forums

  • Playground Task and Finish Group

To approve the Playground TAFG’s unanimous suggestion that it be disbanded was deferred.

  • Maintenance

The Group’s Report as circulated was noted. Cllr Anderson explained that the suggested increase in the 2022/23 budget allocation to £4,500 takes into account possible works to protect The Ham retaining wall from erosion.

  • Dog Fouling

The circulated update Report was noted.

  • Domestic Energy Efficiency Workshop on 24 November

Cllr Nightingale was not present at this point because of broadband issues. Item deferred.

  • Site Meeting – The Ham Review of Tree Planting’ effect on residential views

It was resolved to confirm that two outstanding recommendations in the report would be implemented: hedge infill planting January 2022 using Cllr Green’s trees available at no cost to DPC and to write to Binham Cottage about maintenance of The Ham.

  • Finance

The Group’s Report was noted as circulated. The Clerk will write to the car park contractor regarding insurance and liability.

11.  Village Hall Management Committee

To respond to letter from the VHMC dated 2/11/21 was deferred to the next official meeting.

12.  Village Hall Management Committee

To consider the proposal that DPC contributes Items 7, £252 Annual cost of WiFi Internet Connection, and Item 8, £1850 Carpentry Repairs to outside Stores – including new fascia board, doors, gutters etc. was deferred to the next official meeting.

13.  Purchase of Signs

It was resolved to support purchase of a second ‘can be slippery’ sign for Jubilee Steps (approximately £12.50) & installation of one ‘Ambulance’ sign in the turning bay on Manor Street.

14.  Domestic Energy Efficiency Workshop on 24 November

Cllr Nightingale gave a report on the workshop. The meeting supported Cllr Nightingale’s proposal to give feedback to Devon Communities Together.

15.  Accounting Software

It was unanimously resolved for DPC to purchase accounting software.

16.  Management of records created by DPC in its response to the COVID pandemic crisis

The records will be reviewed on a case by case basis and updated, retained or deleted as required.

17.  Circulation List

Cllr Unitt has suggested a list to improve communication with residents. Cllr Nightingale suggested use of a mailing list system which would allow people select contact preferences. This project is ongoing.

18.  Lengthsman Report

The Parish Lengthsman has asked about allocation of projects to DPC and DCC grant budgets. The Clerk will resend the criteria. There were no suggestions for new blocked buddle holes which are already approved by DCC and can be reopened by the Lengthsman.

19.  Financial Matters

19.1                       Financial Report

The Report was supported. It showed a balance of £79,275.81 and unearmarked reserves of £12,346.32.

19.2                       Payments Due

It was resolved to approve the following payments:

  • SHDC Bin Emptying on The Ham 11/8-27/10, £43.20
  • Village Hall Hire Oct-Dec, £90.00 (The Clerk to request a credit for use for January 2022 meeting)
  • Cllr Anderson Southern Timber ‘Perma Timber) posts, £86.02
  • Cllr Anderson Screws pin, nuts and washers signs playground & ambulance, £41.23
  • Clerk Expenses reimbursement CE44, £37.58

19.3                       Payments made since the last meeting

It was resolved to note:

  • Visitor Refund of duplicate payment Ham Car Park, £6.00
  • Cllr Bond Defibrillator safety tags & Mesh Pegs, £23.96
  • Society of Local Council Clerks CiLCA Qualification, £410.00
  • SLCC Enterprises Reference Texts, £174.90

19.4                       Overtime Claim

The Clerk’s claim for nine hours overtime in November was approved by resolution.

19.5                       Draft Budget 2022/23

The Clerk will prepare a final budget based on the figures in the Finance Working Group report.

20.  Eco Weed & Moss Treatment

Expenditure of up to £15 for Cllr Bond to purchase materials and trial on the playground wetpour surface was approved. Cllr Bond will confirm with Wicksteed it won’t damage the surface and ask if they have recommendation of other environmentally friendly options.

21.  Snow Shovels for Dittisham Grit Bins

It was resolved to confirm use of the approved £150 to purchase coal shovels (£6.96 each) and to accept Cllr Bond’s offer to purchase one in exchange for small shovel purchased last year which is too small for gritting purposes.

22.  Jubilee Steps

Consideration of the recommendation that no action will be taken by DPC to install railings was deferred.

21.       Correspondence

21.1           Received

  • Resident, 3/11/21, Recycling Collection 3rd November 2021, replied and referred
  • Dartmouth Caring, 5/11/21, Offer of a Presentation, Cllrs agreed APM and to suggest WI too
  • Resident, 7/11/21, Enquiry to Cllr Anderson about local occupancy Covenant, assisted and referred
  • Citizens Advice South Hams, 16/11/21, Thanks for grant of £300

21.2           Sent

  • Valuation Office Agency, Request for Information about The Ham car park and The Level car park regarding Business Rates

23.  Next Meeting

It was confirmed that the next meeting of Dittisham Parish Council will be held on 5 January 2021 at 7:00 p.m.

24.  Closure of the Meeting

It was resolved to close the meeting because of the commercial-in-confidence nature of the business.

25.  Quotes

It was resolved to accept the quote for Scribe Accounting Software (£375+VAT). The use of the software will commence as soon as feasible. The Clerk’s aim is to use it for the Budget process.

The meeting closed at 21:21.